The priciest cities for new parents

By By AUBREY COHEN

on August 7, 2013 1:26 PM

But just how much reproducing will set you back varies widely depending on where you live, Seattle-based online real estate company Redfin reported Wednesday.

"Between home preparation, long nights, diaper changes, and feedings, parents can easily overlook the endless tab they are about to rack up thanks to their new little bundle of joy," Redfin real estate data analyst Tommy Unger wrote in a blog post. "In the U.S., the average cost for a baby’s first year comes out to about $26,000 if you upgrade your house, use daycare, have insurance and buy the typical things parents buy."

Unger looked at the cost of an extra bedroom; nine months of infant childcare; out-of-pocket expenses for prenatal care, childbirth and the first year of post-delivery healthcare; such baby items as diapers, food, toys and strollers; and the energy used in extra loads of laundry, keeping the house warmer and added trips to see family members.

1. San Jose, Calif.: $41,600 total cost for the first year. Photo-2309271.67776 - Beaumont Enterprise

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So where are children a relative bargain? Among the 40 cities on Redfin's list, the cheapest place was Atlanta, where babies cost an average of just $18,500 in the first year. San Antonio was just $200 more expensive. less

So where are children a relative bargain? Among the 40 cities on Redfin's list, the cheapest place was Atlanta, where babies cost an average of just $18,500 in the first year. San Antonio was just $200 more ... more

Photo: By AJ Brustein, Getty Images/Flickr Open

So where are children a relative bargain? Among the 40 cities on... Photo-5014448.67776 - Beaumont Enterprise